HEART OF STEELE

Because I’m new to the area, I sometimes find myself in unexpected places.

Last week, I took a wrong turn–okay, several wrong turns–and my trip to an in-town destination became a leisurely ride along a peaceful county road. Just before the Google Maps lady told me to turn, I passed by an old farmstead and the remains of a field stone foundation.  

Had I not been lost and almost late, I would have stopped and taken a picture of a scene made even more beautiful by a pair of deer grazing nearby. I love old buildings, even when there’s not much left of them.  

I love them even more when they’re lovingly restored and maintained, and I’ve seen plenty of those as well. Unfortunately, it's expensive and not at all practical to save every historic structure. But we can preserve their histories and the memories of those who loved them.  

That was the Steele County Historical Society’s goal with the Friday recreation of Jerry’s Supper Club. The iconic restaurant may be long gone, but so much of what made it special to patrons and employees alike seemed apparent in the sharing of stories and memories. 

It’s always fun (and a little startling) to learn about life 50 years ago, when the price of fancy steak dinner–including tomato juice, salad, and dessert–was $1.95, and lobster could be had for under four bucks.  

Back then, waitresses worked for 70 cents an hour plus tips and, on busy nights, felt like they’d won the lottery. Many of them were young moms, who avoided the cost of a babysitter with jobs that started after their husbands got home.  

All of history tells us something. Those old barn ruins might harbor the remnants of tools that help us understand how farmers worked in decades past.  

The stories tell us how our parents and grandparents lived, what they valued, how they survived tough times and built on their successes. And from them, I think, we learn more about ourselves. 

Everyone who helped bring back a night at Jerry’s Supper Club deserves a round of applause for celebrating those oral histories that reflect the heart of Steele County.